Jeweler&#39;s watch regulating block



March 2, 1954 R. A. TERRELL JEWELER'S WATCH REGULATING BLOCK Filed May 9 1951 IPOBERT A. TERRELL INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 2, 1954 UNITED STATES TENT OFFICE.

2 Claims.

This device relates to regulator devices and more particularly to a regulator device for moving the regulator levers of watches predetermined precise very small distances.

Most modern watches are of the small wristwatch type in which the regulator lever for controlling the timing of the watch is very short so that the time of the watch is changed greatly by a very small movement of the regulator lever. In order to utilize the full capacity of the time keeping quality of such small watches, the regulator lever must be moved not more than of 1 mm. or even 4 of 1 mm. Watch repairmen now regulate watches by applying the point of a small screw driver to the regulator lever to push it by the force of the hand and arm in one direction if the watch is fast and in the opposite direction if the watch is slow. Since the regulator lever must be moved such very small distances, the movement is imperceptible to the naked eye. The repairman cannot be sure whether he has moved the regulator lever 1 mm. or 2 mm., or indeed whether he has moved it at all. Obviously, it is impossible for anyone to have suflicient control of a hand and arm push of a blunt instrument against the regulator lever to deal in such small movements or to know that any such small movement has occurred. Consequently when after a day of running he observes that the watch is still not keeping time accurately, he does not know how far he must move the regulator lever; and if he did know the very small and precise distance it must be moved, he still has no way of moving it such a small distance.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a regulator device for moving the regulator lever of a watch predetermined distances under precision control.

It is another object of the invention to provide a regulator device having an auxiliary mechanical means for holding the watch or watch movement immovably withits regulator lever exposed to contact a member which can be moved precise, predetermined micrometrically controlled distances.

Briefly stated the regulator device for moving the regulator levers of watches precise predetermined very small distances includes a base provided with adjustable supporting members for holding a watch or watch movement immovable with respectto the base with its regulator lever exposed. A micrometer is adjustably mounted on the base. The movable member of the micrometer is adapted to be brought into contact with the exposed regulator movement of the watch so that upon rotation of the rotatable thimble or hand grip of the micrometer the regulator lever will be moved by the movable member. The micrometer is provided with the conventional graduations so that the degree of movement of the regulator lever may be precisely controlled.

For a better understanding of the invention reference may be had to the following descrip tion taken in connection with the accompanying drawing and its scope will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the regulator device;

Figure 2 is a sectional view of the device show in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the device shown in Figure 2; I

Figure 4 is a perspective enlarged view of a portion of the device shown in Figures 1 to 3; and,

Figure 5 is an exploded view of two elements of the device shown in Figures 1 to 3.

Referring now to the drawing, the regulator device includes a fiat circular supporting block I0 which is provided with a pair of elongate aux-.

iliary aligned slots I I and I2. A narrow channel or groove I3, axially aligned with the slots, is provided in the lower side of the supporting block to receive the slidable members I4 and I5. The slidable member I5 has two parallel legs I6 and I! between which the single leg I8 of the mem-.

ber I4 is adapted to telescope. The slidable I members I4 and I5 have upwardly extending pins I9 and 20, respectively, which extend through the slots II and I2 and above the supporting block I 0. The cross-members 2| and 22 are mounted on the pins I9 and 20, respectively, by means of bores into which extend the upper ends of the pins. Each of the cross-members is provided with a plurality of hooks '23 which are adapted to engage the sides of a'watch.

The slidable members I4 and I5 are maintained in the groove I3 by an underlying circular extension 24 which is secured to the block II] by the circular plate 25 and the screws 26 and 21 which extend through the plate 25 and the extension 24 into threaded bores in the block III. The slidable members may be locked in any telescoped position by means of the lock screw 28, provided with a knurled head 29, which ex-. tends through the aperture 28a in plate 25 and through a threaded central aperture in the extension 24. The upper end of the lock screw is adapted to abut the legs I6, I! and I8 of the sliding members and hold them rigidly in the groove l3 of the block H0. The slidable members l4 and I5 have dependent spurs 38 and 3! ex tending beneath the block ID by means of which the slidable members may be moved toward and away from each other when the lock screw 28 is loosened.

The plate is of greater diameter than the circular extension 24- to hold in place the sleeve 32 which is rotatably mounted on the circular extension 24. A set screw 33 is provided to lock the sleeve 32 against movement about the circular extension 24. An arm 34 integral with the sleeve 32 extends outwardly beyond the outer periphery of the block 10 and is provided with a vertical circular boss 35 through which slidingly extends the rod 36. A set screw 3'! is provided to lock the rod in any adjusted position.

The upper end of the rod 36 is provided with an integral split friction bearing block 38 whose halves 39 and 40 are movable toward and away from ach the y th djust re 4 The b aring block 38 supports t stationary b rr l 42 of a micrometer indicated generally by the humor? al 43, The micrometer 43 includes the convention: a1 rotatable thilnble or hand grip 44 provided with a suitable set of graduations 45. A single mark 46 is provided on the stationary barrel 42 to cooper? ate with graduations on the rotatable thimble 44. The micrometer43 also includes the conventional reciprocable pin 41 the end of which is provided with a downwardly off-set pointed finger 48. To prevent rotation of the reciprocable pin 4'1,v it is provided with a longitudinal groove 49 intowhich extends a pin 50 secured in the stationary barrel 42.

In use, the back of the watch which is to be regulated is first removed exposing its regulator lever 52.. The watch is then disposed face down between the hooks 23 of the crossemembers 2| and 22. The cross-members are then moved toward each other by means of the spurs 3!) and 3! until the sides of the watch are firmly held by the hooks. The lock screw 28, is then rotated to lock the slidable members [4 and 15in place. The watch is then held. against movement by the hooks. Next, the micrometer is brought into proper position. First the arm. 34is swun about hec u r e nsio un il the fing 48 o the micrometer points inthe direction in which the regulator lever 52 of the watch is to be moved for example, if the watch is running fast, the regulator lever 52 will be moved toward the letter S on the watch. The arm is then looked against movement by the set screw 33. The micrometer is next adjusted vertically by loosening the set screw 31 and moving the rod 36 until the finger 48. lies in the sam horizontal plane as the regu, lator lever 52. The rod 36 is then looked in place by the set screw 31. The adjusting screw M is han lo sen d an e sta onary barrel 42 of. the micrometer is slid through the bearing block until the finger 48 almost touches the regulator lever 52 and is again locked against movement. The regulator device may now be employed to move the regulator lever 52 a predetermined. precise very small distance toward the letter S. First, the rotatable thimble is rotated to bring the finger 48 into contact with the regulator lever 52. Fur ther rotationof the thimble in thesame direction will new result in movement of the lever 52. The posi n o srad ations on the t mble i h resheet to mark 6 on he ba rel .2 a e hecked.- The distance the re ulator lever is to be moved is then decided upon and the thimble is rotated until the lever 52 is moved the predetermined distance which is measured by the graduations on the thimble and the single mark 46 on the stationary barrel. In this manner, the regulator lever 52 is moved a predetermined precise distance toward the letter S. The watch is then removed and allowed to run for a set period of time, e. g. 24 hours. If the watch originally ran fast 4 minutes a day and the initial adjustment of the regulator lever was 2 mm. toward the letter S and if after 24 hours the watch runs fast two minutes a day, the watch is replaced in the regulator device and the regulator lever 52 is again moved 2 toward the letter S. This latter repeated adjustment will cause the watch to run very accurately. Perhaps it will now lose or gain only a. few seconds a day. Further adjustment of the regulator device, perhaps a /5 of 1 mm., will then obtain the full capacity of the time keeping quality of the watch.

W c r pairman c st marily have a la e num r of Watc es hung on racks. hi h r ei r ulated- A r co d wi k t o e ly adjustment of each Watch and the Change in the l or gain in m nu es, or se onds p r day of ea h watch so that the amount the regulator lever of each watch should be moved at the next adjustment can be predetermined.

Since the cross-members are adjustable toward and away from each other and since the micrometer 43 is adjustable vertically and about a vertical axis, watches of various shapes and sizes can be regulated by the illustrated regulating device.

t ll w e abparentthat a regulator devi for watches ha been described and illustrated which includes an adjustable clampingor holdin member for holding a watch immovable on a base. The disclosed device also includes a finger, actuated by a micrometer assembly, for contacting d. movi the re ula r l er of the wa c a predetermined precise distance. Among the advantages of the illustrated regulator device are the precise predetermined adjustment of the reg: ulator lever obtained by its use which cannot be achieved by conventional methods and its easy adjustability which enables its use with watches of varyi g zes a d h pes.

It will be pparen hat. vari s c n an modifications can be made in the illustrated embodiment without departing from the invention and it is intended, therefore, in the appended claims to cover allsuch changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A regulator device for watches having a regulator lever comprising; a base, lying in a first plane; adjustable clamping means. on said base for holding a watch immovable on Said base with its regulator lever exposed: a supporting memer m unted on said. as f r mo em n about the periphery oi sa d ba e; and a mo a le ember secured to said supporting member and exnd ng ver said base i a lane parall to said first plane, said movable member being movable i rdly ov r said a e and adap ed to onta t and move the regulator lever of a watch held by the clamping means, said movable member being pr v ded with eradua on r ind c tin th de ree. of movemen o said ovable membe er said base- 2- A regulator de ce to; watches havin a gulato l r om rising a base lyin n a firs plane; ad u ble lamping m an sa d. bas or d g a a h immov ble on s d ase ith;

its regulator lever exposed; a supporting member mounted on said base for movement about the periphery of said base and including a sleeve rotatably mounted on said base having an arm extending outwardly beyond the periphery of said base, a supporting member lying in a second plane perpendicular to said first plane and adjustably secured to said arm; and a movable member secured to said supporting member and extending over said base in a plane parallel to said first plane, the spacing of said movable member above said base being adjustable by adjusting the position of said supporting member on said arm, said movable member being movable inwardly over said base and adapted to contact and move the regulator lever of a watch held by the clamping means.

ROBERT A. TERRELL.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 865,925 Miller Sept. 10, 1907 938,817 Bowers Nov. 2, 1909 1252584 Kethley Jan. 8, 1918 2,170,535 Marsden Aug. 22, 1939 2,421,310 Berlincourt May 27, 1947 2,527,751 Maheu Oct. 31, 1950 

